Reel for electric cables and the like.



D. J J ORDEN. REEL FOR ELECTRIC CABLES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED 00129, 1909.

Patented May 2, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

D. J. JORDEN. REEL FOR ELECTRIC GABLES'AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION I'ILED001'. 9, 1909.

Patented m 9, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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THE NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, 0. c1

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DENIS J. JOBDEN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed October 9, 1909. Serial No. 521,885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that LDnms J. JORDEN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Reels for Electric Cables andthe Like, of which the following is a specification, the principle ofthe invention being herein explained and thebest mode in which I havecontemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from otherinventions.

The present invention, relating as inclicated to reels, has moreespecial regard to the construction of reels for winding in the electriccables, such as are employed in connection with portable electricmachines in order to maintain electrical connection between the same anda relatively fixed source of current supply. A particular field of use,although by no means the only one for the invention, is found on theelectrically driven gatherers in coal mines, as the electric locomotivesemployed in gathering up the cars from the rooms of the mine, andhauling them either to the foot of the shaft, or other point of egress,are called. In mines, where this'system of haulage has been installed,the entries are usually provided with a trolley wire corresponding tothe trolley Wire, or third rail, of surface traction lines. Thesetrolley wires, however, cannot be conveniently extended into the newerworkings and particularly into the rooms where the coal is being minedand loaded onto the cars, although it is obviously necessary that thelocomotives operate here, as well as along the main entries. Accordinglya cable is provided for each locomotive, the outer end of which isattached to the trolley line at the point nearest adjacent the scene ofoperation, while its inner end is wound on a reel carried by thelocomotive, such cable being unwound as the locomotive proceeds into aroom, and then wound up again as it emerges therefrom.

The object of the present invention is to provide suitable means forautomatically thus operating said reel, so as to keep the cable woundup, irrespective of the movements of the locomotive, and, what is moreimportant, Without putting any undue strain on such cable, such as mightbreak the same. To the accomplishment of these and related ends,said'invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully describedand particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain mecha nism embodying the invention such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but several of the various mechanical forms inwhich the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electricgatherer, or locomotive, showing installed thereon a form of my improvedreel; Fig. 2 is a similar elevation of such reel and appurtenant partson a larger scale; Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the same; whileFigs. 4 and 5 respectively illustrate in side elevation and plan, amodified form of the invention, adapting the same for use with anothertype of reel.

In Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, a reel in the form of a drum A, withhorizontally disposed axis, is illustrated. From said reel or drum, thecable a is carried to the trolley wire, being held against such pull asmay be placed thereon, by means of a hook a adapted to be attached to atie on the track, or some other fixed object. In this way the lessstably secured trolley wire a is saved against damage. Connected withthe shaft a of the drum, is a suitable compressed air motor B shown ascomprising a pair of cylinders b, one at each end, having theirconnecting rods 12' so arranged as to render it impossible for both tobe on dead center at once.

The air for the operation of the pistons in these cylinders is suppliedfrom a suitable storage tank B carried by the car, wherein the air isstored at a pressure not exceeding a predetermined limit. IVhile thistank may be charged from an external supply it is contemplated that itwill be more con venient to provide a compressor directly on thelocomotive, and one C is accordingly thus shown, said compressor beingelectrically driven by a motor 0 separate from that of the locomotive,but connected to be operated by the same current as the latter. Suchelectrically driven compressor may be automatically controlled by thepressure in the reservoir or storage tank by any one of the various wellknown arrangements that have been devised for this purpose, or as shownin Fig. 3 a safety valve 6 may be simply attached to the tank B and thecompressor allowed to run without intermission whenever the locomotiveis in use.

From the foregoing construction it will be apparent that as long asthere is pressure fluid available in the storage tank, the motor willtend to rotate the reel, such rotation being in a direction to wind upthe cable. Accordingly, whether the locomotive be advancing or recedingfrom the point of attachment of the outer end of the cable, such cablewill be held taut, the maximum rate of operation of the motor beingproperly correlated with the maximum rate of movement of the locomotive.Since, however, the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the motornever can exceed a predetermined limit, the motor never exerts more thana predetermined pull on the cable, so that any tendency to tear thelatter is avoided. Ordinarily, of course, during the advance of thelocomotive the motor will be rendered inoperative by throttling thesupply of air thereto, allowing the cable merely to unwind, and themotor will actually only be used when it becomes necessary to wind upthe cable. For such throttling operation, any suitable control valve, as5 may be used, being interposed in the line leading from tank B to themotor cylinders.

In the second form of my invention, illustrated in Figs. t and 5, I showa horizontally disposed reel A; that is, one rotatable about a verticalaxis. Here it is convenient to employ a motor with a single cylinder 13only, such cylinder, likewise, being horizontally disposed. Moreover, Ihere show the compressor C as being directly driven from the motor thatpropels the locomotive, or rather from the gearing (Z intermediatebetween said motor and the truck D on which the locomotive is mounted.Since but a single cylinder and piston is here employed, I furtherprovide means for starting the mechanism should the connecting rod 5 ofsaid piston be on dead center. These means cornprise a pawl and ratchetdevice 5*, associated with the lever b that operates the throttle valve5 whereby the admission of the pressure fluid to said motor cylinder iscontrolled. Whenever, accordingly, said lever is thrust forwardly toopen the valve, the pawl carried thereby will engage and impart apartial rotation to the reel, should it have stopped with the aforesaidconnecting rod in inoperative position.

Aside from the detail last described the operation of such second formof my invention is obviously the same as that of the one first setforth. The same advantageous result is secured in either case, viz. thewind ing in of the cable without danger of breaking the same. I am awarethat mechanical devices, usually directly driven from the locomotivetruck have been employed heretofore to automatically wind up the reel onlocomotives of the class inhand, but these have depended upon frictionalclutches or the like, to transmit the necessary power for rotating thewheel, while still permitting the latter to slip when the cable is woundup taut. The difliculty in adjusting a clutch of this character,however, and the uncertainties arising in its operation from varyingconditions of dampness and the like, afford no surety against breakingthe cable, as

experience has amply demonstrated. The

present invention, on the contrary, While equally, if not more positivein its operation, absolutely protects the cable from injury in themanner just referred to. 7

It has not been thought necessary to describe or to illustrate thedetailed manner in which the power is carried from the wire on the reelto the motor. This connection may obviously be made in any suitable way.

As has been previously indicated, the use of my invention is not ofnecessity limited to the particular field here drawn on for illustrativepurposes, but a similar operation of the reel may be found advantageousin connection with various types of portable electric machines.

Other modes of applying the principle'of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis tinctly claim as myinvention 1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of anelectricallyoperated machine movable from place to place, a cable forsupplying currentto said machine, the outer end of said cable beingadapted for connection with a relatively fixed source of current supply,a reel for said cable, a fluid pressure motor for operating said reel, afluid supply for said motor, and means for admitting said fluid to saidmotor under a predetermined constant pressure, whereby the maximum pullon said cable is likewise predetermined, substantially as described.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of anelectrically operated locomotive, a cable for supplying current to saidlocomotive, the outer end of said cable being adapted for connectionwith a relatively fixed source of current supply, a reel for said cable,a fluid pressure motor for operating said reel, a fluid supply for saidmotor, and means for admitting said fluid to said motor under apredetermined constant pressure, whereby the maximum pull on said cableis likewise predetermined, substantially as described.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of anelectrically operated locomotive, a cable for supplying current to saidlocomotive, the outer end of said cable being adapted for connectionwith a relatively fixed source of current supply, a reel for said cablemounted upon said locomotive, a fluid pressure motor for operating saidreel to wind in said cable, a fluid supply for said motor, and means foradmitting said fluid to said motor under a predetermined constantpressure, whereby the maximum pull on said cable is likewisepredetermined, substantially as described.

4. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of anelectrically operated locomotive, a cable for supplying current to saidlocomotive the outer end of said cable being adapted for connection witha relatively fixed source of current supply, a reel for said cablemounted upon said locomotive, a compressed air motor for operating saidreel to Wind in said cable, an air storage tank connected with saidmotor, and means tending to maintain a predetermined constant pressureof air in said tank, whereby the maximum pull on said cable is like-Wise predetermined, substantially as described.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of anelectrically operated locomotive, a cable for supplying current to saidlocomotive the outer end of said cable being adapted for connection witha relatively fixed source of current supply, a reel for said cablemounted upon said locomotive, a compressed air motor for operating saidreel to Wind in said cable, an air storage tank connected with saidmotor, an electric air compressor, connected to be driven by the currentoperating said vehicle, for supplying air to said tank, and controlmeans for maintaining the pressure in said tank constant, whereby themaximum pull on said cable is likewise predetermined, substantially asdescribed.

Signed by me this 14th day of September, 1909.

DENIS J. JORDEN.

Attested by ANNA L. GILL, JNo. F. OBERLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. C.

